Ares Games
Results 1 to 28 of 28

Thread: New Zealand Record set at Tauranga Board Games by the Bay

  1. #1


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default New Zealand Record set at Tauranga Board Games by the Bay

    New Zealand Record set at Tauranga Board Games by the Bay!!!

    20 brave pilots participated in the biggest dogfight on record (that we know of) in New Zealand
    It was a tense opening with 10 allied pilots and 10 central powers pilots converging in the centre of the table.
    Much strategic planning and careful manouvering later the allies lost their first plane.
    The battle quickly separated into 3 minor skirmishes with both sides vying for the advantage.
    The greater experience on the Central Powers team showed through early on with tag teams picking off allied pilots that were flying solo.
    More allied planes hit the dust and its fast becoming a one sided affair with the Central Powers team pushing their advantage of greater numbers.
    When the dust clears 7 (from 10) allied pilots have perished to only 3 for the Central powers!!!
    Two of the remaining allied planes are picked off, the heavy damage they have suffered in the early battle makes them easy pickings.
    A lone Spad XIII is left in the air and is making its escape. Its speed gives it the edge although at least 4 enemy planes are chasing it down. It has a slim chance to break through and get to the safety of the edge of the board. It makes a run for it and is shot down by a long range shot.
    LOSSES - Allies: 9x fighter planes, 1x 2-seater. Central Powers: 1x 2 seater and 2x fighter planes.
    Last edited by Kiwi_Ace; 09-30-2012 at 03:45.

  2. #2

    Default

    I suppose the two two-seaters going down means there's no pictures

  3. #3

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AlgyLacey View Post
    I suppose the two two-seaters going down means there's no pictures
    Sounds as if with the intensity of play in this combat, it is well worth sending out another aircraft to try and recover the photos.
    Kyte.

  4. #4


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by AlgyLacey View Post
    I suppose the two two-seaters going down means there's no pictures
    haha. pics will hopefully follow soon!
    The allies 2 seater had its rear gunner shot in the very first exchange of fire. Somehow it managed to stick around and get off some shots with its front gun before biting the dust. It was actually pretty cool to see planes of the same type coordinating attacks all over the board.

    3 fokker tri-planes were still around at the end

    I was paired with a solid wingman flying the same fighter type as me, a Fokker DVII.
    The allies were fast learners though as a pair of sopwith camels (one badly damaged) linked up with the lone Spad XIII and drove our two fokker DVII's away, effectively breaking the tactical advantage we had early in the battle. I was piloting Gorings white Fokker DVII and quickly circled back (after pretending to run) and linked up with the 3 Fokker Triplanes (who were fresh from a skirmish on the left flank and were hungry for more kills). This turned the tables on 3 allied planes and took them down.

    i got one with a long shot after a cat and mouse chase. It was only due to his damaged engine that he couldnt quite outrun me The other Sopwith Camel was easy pickings for the trio of tri-planes as it was only on 1 hit point!
    Last edited by Kiwi_Ace; 09-30-2012 at 11:12.

  5. #5

    Default

    Well done Jody looks like 20 is the new target to beat.
    Sounds like a great fur ball.
    Looking forward to seeing the pics once the cameras have been rescued.
    Linz

  6. #6


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Linz View Post
    Well done Jody looks like 20 is the new target to beat.
    Sounds like a great fur ball.
    Looking forward to seeing the pics once the cameras have been rescued.
    Linz
    Thanks mate. im hoping someone will take up the challenge at the next Boardgames By The Bay event in Hamilton in a months time
    The new X-Wing miniatures game made quite a stir on the weekend. If the miniatures were available earlier I am sure we would have organised a large space battle the likes of which has not been seen before in New Zealand. Im predicting x-wing will quickly take over wings of war in popularity here in NZ but might also increase the player base for wings of war at the same time. Watch this space

    Of course it is entirely possible that both games can coexist, even at the same event. I know id love to play both in the same weekend and even think a cross-over where x-wings and tie fighters do battle with ww1 planes would be very cool

  7. #7

    Default

    Bye the way, I forgot to congratulate you all on the N.Z. record for numbers at the table Jody.
    Well done to you all. Do put your chaps in for a as outlined in the medals list.
    Rob.

  8. #8

    Bishbosh
    Guest


    Default

    Cheers Jody, it was a really great dogfight. My first game that didn't involve my children so coming up against well thought out moves was a novelty but great experience. I hung on longer than I probably should have the way I was peppered with shots; especially if you add the gun jams and fire I struggled with. I think a hunt for a few models will be on the cards.

  9. #9


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bishbosh View Post
    Cheers Jody, it was a really great dogfight. My first game that didn't involve my children so coming up against well thought out moves was a novelty but great experience. I hung on longer than I probably should have the way I was peppered with shots; especially if you add the gun jams and fire I struggled with. I think a hunt for a few models will be on the cards.
    Hey Craig. I was happy with the battle coordinating 20 pilots in a single battle is a big achievement. imagine if we had double that number!
    i wanted to showcase a few different things from last yr.

    limited ammo was really a way to streamline the damage a little. having that number of players draw damage cards from a single deck or even two damage decks is far too slow as u always have people moving the deck and waiting for people to resolve damage.
    One player on the day did comment that he thought limited ammo was a tough restriction as you had to fly around looking for one of the friendly airfields but i would suggest that you were either burning thru too many shots at long range or not keeping track of where you were on the board in relation to one of the airfields. id say they were positioned so that you could reach them within 3 turns (9 cards) OR LESS from anywhere on your side of the playing surface unless you were caught deep in enemy territory without ammo in which case you havent thought things through enough before charging into battle! im not sure how many planes ran out of ammo but id guess 3 or less, from 20 planes thats ok. reloading was allowed so it was a matter of getting to one of the 2 friendly airfields.

    each team having a two seater was cool, even tho they didnt have a specific objective other than 'shoot the enemy' i know they both created uncertainly amonst the rookie pilots and some were surprised by the rear shooting guns and how good they are at close range.

    I guess there could have been points awarded for strategic targets such as the trenches, machine gun placements and Observation balloon which were all on the table, but it is my experience that in large battles like this things quickly revert to fighters on fighters and well intentioned planning of teams assaulting specific targets is quickly abandoned in favour of going for enemy fighters for some payback

    having a bomber or two in the mix would have been interesting although i was concerning including one would result in a massive furball of planes speeding for it and there being total mid-air carnage from collisions. My original intention was to showcase some of these missions: bombing, observation, rescue earlier in the day with smaller numbers of players but with so many great games on offer for playing it was hard to get people to jump in and have a go. i wonder of a prize award/incentive would have helped people commit to at least a small mission before the big dogfight?

    One refinement i would make next time is have a timer for planning. many times yesterday we were waiting for players to plan. sometimes the same players although not always the same. i have a chess clock that would be perfect for this as it buzzes when the time expires. it would just be a matter of everyone agreeing on what would be the maximum time allowed for each planning phase (3 cards). and then agreeing on an appropriate penalty. rookie pilots could have a 1-2 'ROOKIE PASS' tokens that allows their planning time to be extended by a minute only which costs them a ROOKIE TOKEN. once their tokens r used they have to plan at the same speed as everyone else and players who DO NOT get their cards onto the planning board b4 the buzzer goes off incur a penalty which should either be a random planned card for each one they r missing or perhaps a straight manouvre for each one missing without a penalty that is enforced players can just continue to plan slowly, icing the game and enjoyment of other players.

    on reflection i think id run exactly the same mission next time but include a two bombers on the attacking team which enter the battle about turn 4-5 from anywhere on the friendly edge on the board or perhaps one of the two airfields. their mission is to bomb the enemy aerodrome. this will give the attacking team a chance to clear the battlefield of ground targets, paving the way for the bombers to do their work. The defenders mission would be to destroy the bombers before they get to their target. the attacking team would have a choice of keeping the 2 bombers together or splitting them up, using one as a diversion
    Last edited by Kiwi_Ace; 09-30-2012 at 13:53.

  10. #10

    Default

    Congratulations on the record.

  11. #11

    Bishbosh
    Guest


    Default

    The timer idea for planning would be a great addition to a game of the size experienced on Sunday perhaps after a couple of turns to give the rookies a chance to get a handle on what's going on. The random manoeuver card penalty is perhaps the best penalty in order to keep the pace up, the rookie pass token is a good idea too although if there are several rookies it could still extend the game if they all play them on consecutive turns.

    A couple of bombers coming in after a few turns would have possibly brought the two sides more together rather than the 3 zones that seemed to develop.

    It was a really good event and well run considering the numbers involved so hats of to you. Now I need to get some more practice in for future events

  12. #12

    Default

    I like the sound of that epic encounter , it's something I'd like to be involved in but sadly there's only myself and Hayden in Shropshire , and the thing is you get used to the style of tactics of your opponant. It would be great to fly one of my planes in one of those big games as you get to test your skills against someone new.

  13. #13


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Bishbosh View Post
    The timer idea for planning would be a great addition to a game of the size experienced on Sunday perhaps after a couple of turns to give the rookies a chance to get a handle on what's going on. The random manoeuver card penalty is perhaps the best penalty in order to keep the pace up, the rookie pass token is a good idea too although if there are several rookies it could still extend the game if they all play them on consecutive turns.

    A couple of bombers coming in after a few turns would have possibly brought the two sides more together rather than the 3 zones that seemed to develop.

    It was a really good event and well run considering the numbers involved so hats of to you. Now I need to get some more practice in for future events
    Good feedback Craig. i think even just having a timer on planning rounds would increase planning time because players will now be accountable for holding up the game. i do like the idea of giving them a lil more time initially (say the first two planning rounds are longer).
    once they have used their rookie token they r at the mercy of any agreed penalty so although it seems harsh they are really just being forced to plan a bit faster than they would like. rookies miss obvious stuff all the time. choosing a sub-par manouvre is an extension of this. veteran pilots are able to take in what their enemies r up to and even evesdrop on their tactics and not be so focused on planning the whole time

    If new players had taken the time to pop over and learn the game b4 the big battle they would hav been armed with a few more skills for the big battle so i dont feel that sorry for them. No training prior to battle = easy targets for skilled pilots.

    im going with the bombers next time. i did have one on the sidelines, just got it that day so was a little hesitant to throw it in there without testing it out. This could have happened in a preliminary mission but alas there was none keen to have a go until the big battle so all good. next time u will see it in action

    20 players was pushing my resources to the limit in terms of damage cards. i wish they would release these in booster sets separately. ill be sure to be packing at least 2 more A damage decks on the day. i had a friend lend me his (after marking his cards for easy separation later in the day) which helped a lot. i think ill have to call on a few others to pitch in a deck or two as well as i think we can expect even more than 20 pilots next time!
    Last edited by Kiwi_Ace; 10-01-2012 at 02:44.

  14. #14

    Default

    Enjoyed the Game Jody. Well done and thanks for putting it together. I expect a few more flyers plan on going to Hamilton so if we pool resources we could support 50+ flyers......

    I did like the limited ammo. Not sure about dealing out the cards at the start, Was thinking the idea of 2 jams means out of ammo...

    The idea of adding bombers would be great.

    Chris

  15. #15

    Lord_Ninja's Avatar
    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Lucas
    Location
    Tennessee
    Sorties Flown
    414
    Join Date
    Nov 2011

    Default

    And another reason to get back sooner then latter. Sounds like a real fur ball you guys had going.

  16. #16


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Madboyo View Post
    Enjoyed the Game Jody. Well done and thanks for putting it together. I expect a few more flyers plan on going to Hamilton so if we pool resources we could support 50+ flyers......

    I did like the limited ammo. Not sure about dealing out the cards at the start, Was thinking the idea of 2 jams means out of ammo...

    The idea of adding bombers would be great.

    Chris
    hey Chris. im gonna try for Hamilton, seeing as i work there during the week! will just have to check with the Big Boss Squadron Leader aka my wife to see if its doable as she will be holding the fort at home here in tauranga.

    Yes i agree if we pool our resources we will have the ability to go even bigger i think my resources max out at around 24 pilots. i have a few more planes than that but am Central Powers heavy. I tried to match the technology level for play balance and did not include early war fighters such at the early German albatross and neuports 16-17's as these r waaay slow compared to everything else. This meant primarily sopwith camels, snipes and RAF Se5a's for the allies and Fokker Dr1's, Fokker DvII's and mid war albatrosses for the Central Powers. So if u could provide additional models for this era (1917-1918), that would be cool

    Bombers would certainly allow the game to move to 'full power' and lead to much more team strategy. I think newer pilots underestimate the steady leadership of an experienced pilot and how they can make a big difference between successful tactics and recklessness. Rookie pilots can learn quickly on the fly with the right guy as squadron commander

    Limited Ammo did play out well i think. It really makes you think about conserving ammo early in the battle and think a bit more about who is the BEST target instead of charging in guns blazing shooting everything within range. There was a pilot who pulled two jammed guns cards so perhaps when this happens they are OUT OF AMMO. a bit like the explosion rule we were playing. u dont explode unless u are already burning or smoking.

    For the complete bombing scenario to play out how i imagine we would need two bombers for each team. I have one GOTHA Bomber only. in reality only one side would use bombers, although we could reverse the scenario and replay it a second time if people were keen to go again.
    My original intention was to play 1-2 preliminary sorties that determine which side is attacking and defending in the Big Dogfight. The point is that either side COULD be attacking with bombers on the day that is why we would need to be ready with 2 for each side

    it might be possible to include two-seaters at the beginning with recon objectives to reveal ground targets (2 Anti-Aircraft Gun placements on the defending teams side of the board, somewhere near the Aerodrome which is the primary target for the attacking team), although this could be over complicating things to have them in there in the same mission as bombers (not sure). Giving the two-seater planes a specific objective does seem like a good idea actually. Perhaps the bombers get a bonus to damage or something if the recon team does its job, or there could be a 'decoy' ground target or something that can be photographed and this info assist in the overall mission.

    50+ pilots eh!!!? Now that would be something. it is doable if we pool everything we have and keep the mission briefing tight without too many additional questions. something this big might require a flyer/handout with a rules summary/mission objectives given out early in the day and give people a chance to clarify things before the heat of battle. I think even having each team leader run an official mission briefing away from the other team would be cool as they could handle alot of questions on their own 1st and then ask for other pilots to offer tactics as well as suggest their plan for the mission ahead.
    Last edited by Kiwi_Ace; 10-02-2012 at 03:40.

  17. #17


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Madboyo View Post
    Enjoyed the Game Jody. Well done and thanks for putting it together. I expect a few more flyers plan on going to Hamilton so if we pool resources we could support 50+ flyers......

    I did like the limited ammo. Not sure about dealing out the cards at the start, Was thinking the idea of 2 jams means out of ammo...

    The idea of adding bombers would be great.

    Chris
    INDIVIDUAL DAMAGE DECKS FOR LIMITED AMMO
    i custom made each damage deck so that each included 2 zeros and a range of the other numbers.
    i realized after the event that by letting players look at these before the mission they were aware of which special damage they were about to deal so in hindsight id give these out at the last minute in future and request that players shuffle them and keep them face down during the game.

    Another variation i think would work well is SEMI-HIDDEN DAMAGE. this means that when damage is dealt it is revealed face up and from then on it is placed face down. its my experience that even experienced players occasionally forget that they have taken rudder damage so this would be a way for players to police this aspect of the game. of course if players are not watching the damage as it happens then they will miss out on seeing it and there will be not obligation for that player to show them in later rounds.

    Another suggestion that was made concerns SHARING INFO ABOUT MANOUVRES. This should only happen when two allied planes are within a ruler length of one another. This simulates they are able to give each other had signals/relay info only when they have line of sight with friendly planes. A difficult rule to enforce but it just a matter of players being honest about it.

  18. #18

    SeriouslyBoard's Avatar
    Users Country Flag


    Name
    David
    Location
    Bay Of Plenty
    Sorties Flown
    71
    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default

    Thanks for the write-up, Jody! I was so stoked that we had 20 pilots, especially after a smaller turnout at the event than expected. I was the pilot of the SPAD XIII and my two companions kept the Central Powers' left flank at bay for a while but ultimately once one of us went down, the rest of us were quick to fall from the sky!

    This means we've set two consecutive national records at BGBTB Tauranga events, and I look forward to seeing Hamilton beat it again!

    I think simplicity is the key - not so simple that experienced players fall asleep, but not so much going on to deter rookies. I thought the extra ammo was a really good idea, especially as flying over the aerodrome was a simple way to reload. I also think bombers would be a great idea - if the players have an overall objective, there will hopefully be fewer separated skirmishes, although that'll always happen.

  19. #19

    Default

    Well done down there ! Can't wait to see the pics

  20. #20


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SeriouslyBoard View Post
    Thanks for the write-up, Jody! I was so stoked that we had 20 pilots, especially after a smaller turnout at the event than expected. I was the pilot of the SPAD XIII and my two companions kept the Central Powers' left flank at bay for a while but ultimately once one of us went down, the rest of us were quick to fall from the sky!

    This means we've set two consecutive national records at BGBTB Tauranga events, and I look forward to seeing Hamilton beat it again!

    I think simplicity is the key - not so simple that experienced players fall asleep, but not so much going on to deter rookies. I thought the extra ammo was a really good idea, especially as flying over the aerodrome was a simple way to reload. I also think bombers would be a great idea - if the players have an overall objective, there will hopefully be fewer separated skirmishes, although that'll always happen.
    Hey David, 20 pilots was epic. im sure we can up the ante again in Hamilton, there is a larger students base there that r gamers, an established club of war-gamers and a core group of wings of war players

    wings of war is one of those gr8 games where its not the mechanics that add depth, but the subtle tactics players can employ to give them the edge. There are aspects of the game that experienced players can exploit and their experience will show through in the end. Clever players will not only anticipate what their enemies are planning but gain the upper hand through superior tactics and flying

    I think everything is in place for a new record attempt in hamtown. the one rule i think that will add too much complexity is altitude. its really only an option for advanced pilots, if there was an opportunity to play an experienced pilots only mission, then this would be the time to use it. In a large dogfight with 16+ planes and lots of rookie pilots i think its best to leave it out.

  21. #21

    Default

    Sounds like you had a Great time I wish I was there from the other side of the world.

  22. #22


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mike George View Post
    Sounds like you had a Great time I wish I was there from the other side of the world.
    Hey Mike. To be honest there were a handful of 'reluctant rookies' who were unsure about participating. we twisted their arms to 'make up numbers' initially but they all proved their worth in the battle and really enjoyed the experience. Plans are already in place to make the next epic Kiwi Dogfight even bigger and better. There will be two squadron leaders. who will be charged with briefing their teams and explaining the mission objectives. How organised their teams are will be evident in the mission which is essentially a bombing raid into enemy territory. The rules for limited ammo really helped things to run smoothly on the day and with the addition of limited planning time the next Furball Battle will trump this one.

  23. #23

    Default

    I was a bit disappointed not to be able to make this, but will DEFINITELY be heading to Hamilton to boost the numbers...
    The only thing that'll stop me is if me truck blows a fufu valve!

  24. #24

    SeriouslyBoard's Avatar
    Users Country Flag


    Name
    David
    Location
    Bay Of Plenty
    Sorties Flown
    71
    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default

    A pity you couldn't make it, Alan, but we look forward to seeing you in Hamilton! (Remember to buy tickets online to save 25% off the weekend price!)

    Alrighty, time to get some photos posted...

  25. #25

    SeriouslyBoard's Avatar
    Users Country Flag


    Name
    David
    Location
    Bay Of Plenty
    Sorties Flown
    71
    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default

    The two-seaters were heavily damaged, and so their photo pickings have been slim...but now that the last two-seater has returned home, engines spluttering black smoke, we can finally start developing their film...

    Name:  282310_10151397062091622_740045166_n.jpg
Views: 381
Size:  139.5 KB

    Name:  35476_10151397062191622_58880383_n.jpg
Views: 394
Size:  156.0 KB

    Name:  67117_10151397062351622_1194416325_n.jpg
Views: 382
Size:  149.4 KB

    Name:  156603_10151397062541622_213530453_n.jpg
Views: 357
Size:  190.0 KB

    Name:  68698_10151397062626622_1662696704_n.jpg
Views: 387
Size:  160.3 KB

  26. #26


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Nice! thanks David. Look for a bombing run at the next event in Hamilton.

    The Central Powers have struck deep into allied territory. Reconnaissance has located the enemy base, defended by two anti-aircraft guns and the remaining allied airforce.
    A night raid is set in motion. Squadron leaders have been given their orders and are now briefing their pilots.
    This mission will ultimately decide the outcome of the war. Glory and death awaits.

  27. #27


    Users Country Flag


    Name
    Jody
    Location
    New Zealand
    Sorties Flown
    156
    Join Date
    Aug 2009

    Default

    Thats my Fokker DVII in the centre of the table in pic#3, I am circling away from two sopwith camels or is one of them a Spad XIII? my memory is a little foggy, must have been those weeks spent recovering in that French hospital after the battle.

  28. #28

    SeriouslyBoard's Avatar
    Users Country Flag


    Name
    David
    Location
    Bay Of Plenty
    Sorties Flown
    71
    Join Date
    Aug 2011

    Default

    And my burning SPAD XIII at the very bottom of pic #4...



Similar Missions

  1. Replies: 4
    Last Post: 09-19-2012, 11:50
  2. Boardgames by the bay sets New Zealand record!
    By Kiwi_Ace in forum WGF: Mission Discussions
    Replies: 41
    Last Post: 10-26-2011, 00:20
  3. NZ: Potential WoW Tournament in Tauranga
    By Ginarley in forum New Zealand Wing
    Replies: 20
    Last Post: 10-24-2011, 21:58
  4. How it works with board games
    By Dan-Sam in forum Officer's Club
    Replies: 45
    Last Post: 09-01-2011, 16:22
  5. Campaign House Rules: After school wow club (Tauranga, New Zealand)
    By Kiwi_Ace in forum WGF: Campaign Discussions
    Replies: 40
    Last Post: 07-17-2011, 12:52

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may edit your posts
  •